Please forgive the plethora of emails coming at you from the 4Cs this week, but this is the critical season in the MO legislative session, and if we want to make a difference, our participation in the process at key times is paramount. Our friends at Freedom Principle MO posted this Action Alert last night. You know what to do, 4Cs!
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Proposed Initiative Petition Reform Bills Are the Wrong Way to Protect Missouri’s Constitution
On Tuesday, January 23, the House Elections Committee will be conducting a hearing on two proposed House Joint Resolutions to potentially change the Missouri Constitution. The two proposed bills are HJR 72 and HJR 102 sponsored by Representative Ed Lewis.
The two proposed bills are attempts to change the initiative petition process to protect our constitution from outside dark money groups, but these two bills are not going to stop the onslaught of progressive attempts to change Missouri’s constitution.
Why are HJR 102 and HJR 72 won’t stop the pro-abortion amendment?
HJR 102 and HJR 72 are specifically relating to Article III, Section 51 (Appropriations by initiative) not Article XII, Section 2(b) (Submission of Amendments proposed by the general assembly or by the initiative.) Article III prohibits the initiative process “for the appropriation of money other than of new revenues creating and provided thereby or for any other purpose prohibited by this constitution.”
HJR 102 and HJR 72 have too many moving parts or as some referred to “ballot candy.” These two bills include banning the following: Raising sales taxes on food, raising taxes on real estate or personal property, Prohibiting foreign sponsorship and/or contributions in the initiative process, and many more things. While these things are good, they will result in the opposition filing legal challenges and will make messaging more difficult.
HJR 102 and HJR 72 only pertain to initiative petitions by outside groups but do not to any initiative petition offered by the legislature which will be DOA with voters and could also result in opposition filing legal challenges.
HJR 102 and HRJ 72 do not address any Constitutional Convention proposed amendments. This must be done under Article XII, Section 3(a).
Initiative Petition Reform is a top priority for the Freedom Principle MO, but if we want to protect our constitution from outside dark money groups, we MUST do it the right way. We MUST pass Concurrent Majority Ratification using state house districts. We MUST support SJR 61, sponsored by Senator Mike Moon.
Please click the link to submit your testimony to oppose HJR 102 and HJR 72 by Midnight Tuesday [that's TODAY!].